Includes bibliographical references (page 47) and index.

Sixteen-century Spanish conquerors, known as conquistadors, came to the New World with a thirst for gold and land. When the conquistadors returned to Spain, they told fantastic stories about their adventures. One story stands out from the rest, about a conquistador whose expedition was a complete failure. Cabeza de Vaca collected no gold and conquered no one, but he accomplished a feat no other conquistador had. After spending years among the native peoples of the New World, he learned to respect the very people he had come to conquer.